Homeless Gay Teens Spurned by Families, Catholic Church

Just a month ago, Maine's Catholic Campaign for Human Development decided to cease funding a statewide organization called Homeless Voices for Justice.  The church, under orders from Bishop Richard Malone, cut off the charity for one reason - because it supports Marriage Equality. On April 16th's National Day of Silence (an annual event aimed at curbing anti-gay bullying in public schools), over 60 adolescents sought shelter at the Preble Street Teen Center (an offshoot of HVJ), many of them gay and lesbian youths.  They went there looking for a hot meal, to study for their GEDs, to talk to social workers, and for a safe place to spend the night.  So where did these homeless LGBT youngsters come from?

Mark Swann discusses the situation on the Portland Press Herald:  Lost in all the debate over their decision is the reason Preble Street decided to join the Maine Marriage Equality Coalition in the first place.  Here's why. As many as 40 percent of unaccompanied homeless youth are forced into homelessness because of their sexual orientation. Shame and abuse from families drive LGBT youth into the streets and shelters.  Two weeks ago we learned of a boy in Georgia who gained permission from his school to take a male date to his prom. The news focused on the school's decision and the support he received from all over the country. Almost incidentally, the article mentioned that because of the media attention he was kicked out of his house.  Because of his sexual orientation, this high school student was no longer welcome in his own home.  In Maine, at Preble Street, we see young men and women in this tragic and terribly sad and lonely situation all the time.  Many young people at the Teen Center have been forced to flee their homes when their parents find their journals or are confronted by their children with emotional struggles around sexual orientation.  Initially some parents try to be accepting. But as their children begin to dress differently, color their hair, and talk more openly, things change.  Sometimes parents became so enraged that they destroy their children's belongings, abuse them verbally or punish them physically or force them to leave home.  Having lost the support of family and faced with the uncertainty and danger of "couch surfing," young people often have nowhere to turn but a shelter.  At Preble Street Teen Center these young people find safety and acceptance, the opportunity to work with a Day One therapist who specializes in working with homeless LGBT youth, and support as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward. Experiencing prejudice and rejection, without family or community support, young people become targets of even more abuse and violence and face a myriad of challenges to leading a healthy life.

The director of Preble Street provides these disturbing statistics:

• Suicide is the leading cause of death among gay and lesbian youth.
• 50 percent of gay and lesbian youth report their parents reject them due to their sexual orientation.
• 26 percent of gay and lesbian youth are forced to leave home because of conflicts over their sexual orientation.
• Approximately 28 percent of gay and lesbian youth drop out of high school because of verbal and physical abuse. 

Catholic Church leaders have demonstrated time and again that their "Christian charity" is not available to those who don't fall in line with the Vatican's anti-LGBT politics.  According to Pope Benedict XVI, gays and lesbians are expected to embrace perpetual celibacy and forgo the love and support of a lifelong companion.

The Preble Street Teen Center should be commended for offering hope and protection to gay youths who have been ostracized by family members and forsaken by the Church's intransigent dogma.  In my humble opinion, this small but important organization in Maine is more valuable than a host of mitered bishops.  (Pictured Top: Bishop Richard Malone)   

Comments

[Bee Girl]

I don't know how these parents can live with themselves after kicking out their own flesh and blood. As for the the catholic church, let them keep their charity-with-strings-attached. Obviously the church needs to conserve its money so they can donate more cash to the anti-gay marriage crowd.

[Jeffrey]

parents who do this should be treated just like "deadbeat dads" and held financially responsible for these kids, who should get some sort of emergency emancipated status and formal public assistance and services. Actually, the more I think and get angrier about this kind of "parent" the more I think it should be criminalized.
It's illegal to abandon a DOG.